Guard for cars



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. JENNINGS. GUARD FOR GARS-,

No. 526,532. PatentedSept. 25, 1894.

J. H. Jenningw,

(N0 Model.)

L L L J. H. JENNINGS. GUARD FOR GARS.

Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

: a W f:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

STATES ATENT I OFFICE.

cuARo FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,532, datedSeptember 25, 1894.

Application filed December 19, 1893- Serial No. 494,038. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HENRY JEN- NINGS, of Middleway, county ofJefferson, State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in. Guards for Cars, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved self-adjustingsafety guard for railway cars, street cars, or the like, that are unitedin trains, whereby the wheels are protected on the sides and the spacesbetween the cars are effectually protected by a prac tically continuousand thoroughly eflicient guard.

My device is especially applicable to freight cars, but may be employedto advantage elsewhere, as above suggested.

.In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of thecontiguous ends of a pair of cars. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of one of the cars with the runninggear detached.

Referring to the figures on the drawings: 1 indicates a box of anordinary car, for example.

2 indicates a guard piece which preferably consists of frame pieces 3and brace pieces 4 made of suitable material, as for example metal, suchas heavy steel wire, or the like. The frame pieces are united by crossrods 5 which, united therewith, constitute in effect a net that offersan effective guard against such objects as might be injured by beingthrown under the wheels of the car, or which might derail the car whilerunning. The upper ends of the brace pieces and frame pieces areprovided with eyelets 6 by which the guard may be movably carriedunderneath the cars upon rods 7 and 8 fastened, as by suitable supports9, to the bottom of thecar.

10 indicates springs preferably coiled, respectively, around rods 8 andseated at one end against stop pieces 11 and bearing at the other endagainst the forward eyelets of the guard frame piece. This spring servesto yieldingly sustain the guard in proximity to the forward end of thecar.

12 indicates a buffer piece secured by suitable meansito the frame pieceof each guard.

It serves as a part of the net work which composes each guard, but inaddition to that presents a broad, flat end 12 to receive the impactfrom a like buffer piece upon the contiguous end of the adjoining car.The forward end of the buifer piece projects considerably beyond the endof the car to the ends of the rods 5. They are held by the spring 10against the guard of the adjoining car and so serve effectually to closeand guard laterally the space between the cars. The springs 10 serve toaccommodate the guards to the.

movements of the cars, while they afford at all times a perfectprotection.

Upon the ends of the cars, I provide yielding or spring arms 14: whichare curved up- Wardly and, crossing the ends of like arms upon theadjoining car, serve to completely close from above the space betweenthe cars. The spring arms are preferably united, for

the sake of strength and security, by a cross piece or cross pieces 15.,

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a car, of guards carried at thebottom of the sides thereof provided with bufiers and longitudinallyyielding with respect to said car, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a car, of longitudinally yielding guardsconsisting of parallel rods extending beyond the car, and a bufferwhereby the guards will yield to the shock incident to coupling and therods serve as a ladder or steps for getting on or off of the car,substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a car, and longitudinally yielding guard panelson the sides thereof and below the body, whereby the wheels and spacesbetween them are protected, of upwardly extending spring arms projectingfrom the ends of the car, whereby the space between the cars is guardedand a person falling from the top of the car is caught without injuriousshock, substantially as specified.

4E. The combination with a car, of guard frames pivoted at the bottom ofthe sides thereof longitudinally yielding with respect thereto, providedwith buffers and adapted to be swung laterally when desired,substantially as specified.

c'omposedof framepieces; and brace" pieces 5. The combinatio'x l with a;leergof guard s movably carried thereon, rods secured to the car, and aspring adapted toactilatethe frame pieces upon the rod, substantiallyasset forth.

- 6. The combination with a car, Ufa/guard composed of frame pieces andbraee piecejsj o movably carried ouponfreds sieoured undersubstantiallyas set forth, o 7. The combination with a. eat,,of ayield neath the car,a! spring actuating the frame! piecesgend a bufier piece seonredthereto; Witnesses;

ingly supported guard,abuffenpiecesecured I thereto andplojeetingbeyendithe end of 131191" ear, and rodseonstitntingithe crosspiece of Fig thefguard andglalso projecting beyondfthe, I 7

ends of the carequi-distanfly with theendsfi of the-buffier piec e,substantmllyas setforthgv In'testimony of, all whiehlfhave hereuntosubscribed mynamex; 1

JOSEPH H ENB QJE NGS;

